1) Field of the Invention
The field of this invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to an electrical connector between a daughter card circuit board and a back plane printed circuit board.
2) Description of the Prior Art
In the assembling of electronic computing equipment, it is exceedingly common to utilize a printed circuit board known as a back plane. Mounted on the back plane are a plurality of metallic male electrical connectors with each male electrical connector having a grouping of a plurality of parallel protruding electrical connecting pins. Each male electrical connector is to plug into a female electrical connector which is mounted on a daughter card. When the female electrical connector connects with the male electrical connector, the daughter card assumes a substantially perpendicular position relative to the back plane. It is to be understood that there is a separate daughter card connected to each male electrical connector.
These male electrical connector pins are quite thin in cross-section and are generally no more than a half to threequarters of an inch in length. These pins can be relatively easily bent. Each pin is to connect with a separate pin receiving hole formed in the female electrical connector of the daughter card. If a bent pin does not engage with its proper hole, not only will the computer equipment not function properly but also may be subject to encountering an electrical short which can destroy both the daughter card and back plane and may even start a fire.
In the past, daughter cards and back planes have been constructed in a manner to try to facilitate only the correct connection between the female electrical connector and the male electrical connector. This construction has been to mount a guide post on the back plane directly adjacent the male electrical connector. Mounted in conjunction with the male electrical connector is a module with this module having an internal cavity within which is to be mounted in a matingly connected manner the female electrical connector of the daughter card. The daughter card also includes a slot with this slot to receive the guide post. Therefore, it is the intention, when the guide post is aligned with the slot, to have the female electrical connector be aligned with the internal cavity of the module with precise alignment to be achieved between the female electrical connector and the male electrical connector as connection occurs. However, it has been discovered misalignments can occur which can result in one or more of bent pins of the male electrical connector. It would be desirable to construct a connecting arrangement between the male electrical connector and the female electrical connector that insures that only the precise connection can result between the female electrical connector and the male electrical connector.